Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Freedom Bound in Chains	By : TaintedSensibly Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 58478 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 13
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Harry Potter characters. I did not make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 102
- 103
- 104
Lost and Found Brothers
- January 1st -
Draco could hardly sleep. It had been a long day, but the anticipation of bringing Harry to Liam had kept him awake. Therefore, it was barely past dawn when Draco flung the covers off and kissed Harry until the boy was giggling and blinking sleepy green eyes open.
“Time for your surprise. Get dressed,” Draco ordered, trying his best to keep a straight face.
Draco dressed quickly and went to prod Remus out of bed. The man was emotionally exhausted, but he got up easily enough. Draco smiled every time Remus unconsciously gripped the dragon pendant resting against his chest. A quick breakfast of toast and tea and they were on their way. It took them just over an hour to find a floo that was open (many people had stayed up late and drank to excess the night before, so most places were closed until noon). Once they were in London, the traffic was sparse, but they did eventually find a taxi. The boys stepped out in front of Liam’s old, rundown apartment building. Remus didn’t follow them.
“I trust you’ll be fine on your own,” Remus said with a smile.
Draco nodded and shut the door. Remus rolled the window down and Draco leaned in to press his hand over the dragon pendant. Looking into Remus’s golden brown eyes, he gave a quiet order. “Be strong.”
Remus nodded. His eyes were dark with shadows, his expression tense, but he gave a strong nod and held Draco’s eyes.
It was the best Draco could do for the man. The rest would be up to Remus. Turning away from the taxi, Draco took Harry’s hand and went up the steps to the entrance. Harry hadn’t asked any questions, but his - patience curiosity - danced between them.
Dressed warm for the weather, Harry had a red knit hat that pushed his black locks down over his forehead and around his face. He wore a dark blue wool coat, a thick maroon sweater, and a dark gray scarf. His slacks were black, as were his boots. Black-framed glasses obscured the rare green of his eyes and his nose and cheeks were pink, as were his lips which were reddened from being slightly chapped. Draco, on the other hand, had forgone the scarf and hat. His only concessions to the biting cold was a black wool coat and a dark blue sweater. He refused the slacks and heavy leather boots. Instead, he wore his usual jeans and Converse sneakers.
Their breath clouded before their faces, even when they were inside the building. It was old and not well insulated. A draft blew over them from the stairs and out the front door before they could get it shut behind them. The building was much quieter than the first time Draco had come, but the sour smell was still the same. Draco tugged on Harry’s hand as he led him to the stairs.
“Come on,” he said shortly, trying to hide the excitement in his voice.
Harry wondered where they were and what the surprise could be. They were in Muggle London. Maybe they were secretly meeting up with Tonks? They hadn’t seen her since late June when she left home for Auror training. Or maybe Draco had been one step ahead of Harry as usual and had already bought them their own place. If that was the case, Harry was going to work hard to make it comfortable and beautiful for Draco.
Harry was pulled from his thoughts as they reached the second landing and Draco came to a stop in front of one of the apartment doors. The blond took out his wand and confidently cast the unlocking charm. Harry tilted his head curiously as he heard multiple locks click open and even the sound of a chain rattling. His heart rate picked up as Draco flashed him a look of barely suppressed excitement, mouth curled in a grin, his grey eyes practically sparkling. The door opened under Draco’s hand and they slipped inside.
They stepped into a small apartment. Harry looked around as Draco shut and locked the door behind him. They stepped directly into a small living room that held a couch and a tv on a stand, as well as a small table with two wooden chairs pushed against the far wall. A small galley kitchen was directly to the left while there were two doors on the right. One was open, and in the dark confines, Harry could just make out white tile, suggesting it was a bathroom. The second door was closed.
It was warmer in the apartment than in the hall but just barely. Draco took off his coat and tossed it on the couch. A jerk of his head told Harry that Draco wanted him to have a seat, so Harry moved to the couch and sat down. As Draco disappeared into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him, Harry pulled Draco’s coat into his lap and folded it neatly before draping it over the arm of the sofa.
Meanwhile, Draco had just braced his weight on Liam’s bed and covered the man’s mouth with his hand. The room was dark, curtains pulled tight over the single, tiny window, so Draco had used his wand to create a low-powered Lumos. The small room contained only one dresser and the bed, and there was still little room to move around. As soon as Draco’s skin came in contact with Liam’s face, Liam’s eyes flashed open and he had a gun pointed at Draco’s head. Draco gave a smirk as Liam quickly dropped the gun and shoved him irritably away, but his annoyance didn’t last long. He grinned as Draco put a hand to his lips and jerked his head toward the door.
In the living room, while he waited, Harry took off his hat and put it in his coat pocket. Then he took off the coat, folded it, and laid it on top of Draco’s. He left his scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. He was more sensitive to the cold than Draco was. Harry was pulled from his thoughts as the bedroom door opened, but it wasn’t Draco standing in the doorway. Harry got to his feet, heart suddenly thundering in his chest. A dark-haired man in his early twenties stood in thick black socks, flannel pants, and a worn and faded grey sweater. Sleep-mussed wavy black hair, bright blue eyes, and a smile that was achingly familiar…
“Liam…” Harry said breathlessly. “Liam!”
Then they were running toward each other, Liam laughing and Harry still shocked out of his mind. They crashed together and Liam lifted Harry off his feet, spinning him around once. “Harry! Damn, it’s good to see you!”
Harry was placed back on his feet and he turned to see Draco standing smugly at his side, grey eyes dancing. Harry flung his arms around Draco’s neck and kissed him soundly on the lips - LOVE GRATITUDE JOY! “Thank you, Draco,” he said thickly, tears burning his eyes as their kiss ended.
“Happy New Year, Harry,” Draco said gently, cupping Harry’s flushed face.
Liam knelt and pulled them both into another hug. “It’s been too damn long. Come on. Let’s celebrate!”
It was just like before. They laughed and talked, watched a movie on tv, ordered Chinese food for an early lunch, played Sorry! and Clue, and then ordered pizza for dinner. It had been three years since they’d seen Liam and yet it felt like they had never been separated at all. There was none of the awkwardness Draco would have expected. It was like coming home.
The sun was sinking and Harry was cleaning up after their dinner, putting the leftover pizza away, when there was a knock on the door. Liam smoothly rose from the floor where he’d been leaning back against the couch and padded quietly over to the door. His hand was under his sweater at the small of his back as be bent to look out the peephole.
“Harry,” Draco called, voice low so that it couldn’t be heard. He’d moved into the doorway of the bedroom, just in case they needed to duck out of sight.
Harry immediately stopped what he was doing and moved quickly to Draco’s side. Draco nudged him into the darkness of the bedroom so that he was already safely out of sight.
Without looking back at the boys, Liam began to unlock the bolts on the door and unlatch the safety chain. Two women walked inside. Like all those years ago, Drey entered first, wearing black leather pants, a white t-shirt, and a leather jacket. She looked just the same as the last time Draco had seen her: thin, black hair that was half-tangled and fell loose down her back, sharp hazel green-grey eyes, and a small mouth. She wore no makeup. Jess followed her in. She was Japanese and wore her thick black hair pulled up into a bun. She had on tailored black paints and a pink sweater that looked expensive. She also had on a white scarf and black gloves. Her almond-shaped eyes had been lined with black and had a hint smoky eyeshadow and her lips were a soft pink to match her sweater. Both of them gave Draco warm smiles as soon as their eyes found him. Liam leaned back against the door as he watched the reunion.
“Draco… How are you?” Jess asked politely, her soft voice wavering slightly with emotion.
Draco’s blank mask cracked as he smiled. “We’re fine.” He stepped into the living room to meet them, Harry coming out of the shadows, following Draco into the room.
Jess smiled widely and ran her hand affectionately over Draco’s hair before dropping to her knees to sweep Harry into a hug. Drey stood at her side. The silver chain around her neck with the small padlock still rested over her sternum. A rare smile softened the hard angles of her face as Draco lifted a fist to lightly punch her arm.
“How’re you liking London?” he asked.
Drey gave a snort. “People are people.” She shrugged and then offered, “The food sucks.”
Draco laughed. “You get used to it.”
“I can cook something American for you,” Harry offered as Jess released him and got back to her feet.
“That would be lovely.” Jess gave Harry an approving smile. “Tomorrow. You can come see where Drey and I stay and make us dinner.”
“Sure,” Draco agreed, although he was curious why they didn’t all share a place. He cast Liam a curious look.
Liam gave him a shrug.
Draco turned his attention to the women. Harry had them sitting on the couch and was offering to make them warm drinks. Draco smiled and turned one of the table chairs around, straddling it and sitting backward. The back was low enough that he could comfortably rest his arms across the back of it.
“So you guys work in clubs?” he asked curiously.
“Now that we’ve found you we can cut back and work the places we actually like,” Jess answered, eyes bright and intelligent.
Draco frowned thoughtfully. “You’re here illegally, so you can’t own your own place, right?”
“Actually, only Drey and Liam are illegals. I used my real passport to travel, but, regardless, there’s a gang boss in the city, an unofficial dom. He’s not in our community, but there’s no real difference. He is what he is.” Jess gave a graceful shrug. “Drey and I don’t mind working for him. He understands our situation and we claimed one of his people as our own. Last Christmas we made our Triad official. When you come over tomorrow, you’ll meet him. He’s a bit of a handful, but we love him. He’s still in Ryder’s gang, actually. A lieutenant. Ryder’s owns the club we prefer to work. It’s not BDSM, just a normal nightclub. He owns quite a few other things in the city, as well. He’ll be pleased we’re finally going to take him up on the offer of a more permanent position.”
Harry had returned and handed them their chosen drink choices of tea or cocoa. He knelt comfortably on the floor next to Draco’s chair, leaning lightly against Draco’s leg as he sipped his own drink.
“I see.” Draco shot Liam a look. “What about you?”
Liam was leaning comfortably against the wall next to the couch as they talked, but his eyes were shadowed. Draco could see that he was deliberating about what to say, and he also saw the exact moment Liam chose to be honest. “I’ve lost the taste for mob life. I try to stay out of it as much as possible, but I help Jess when she asks. I’ve been focused mostly on finding you and working in as many BDSM clubs and stores as possible.”
“He’s been fronting as a dom.” Drey gave a soft snort, eyes predatory as they always were. “Cover wouldn’t have lasted much longer.” She was the second most dominate person in the room, Jess coming in a close third.
Liam’s cheeks pinked with embarrassment. Truth was he was on the submissive end, even if he wouldn’t admit it. He gave a mutinous shrug. “Whatever. I’m perfectly happy not having to jump through all those hoops just to get laid or have a girlfriend. It’s so fucking complicated.”
Jess’s glossy lips slid into an amused smile before growing more serious. “Drey’s right. You can’t stay in the BDSM community, not without genuinely adopting the lifestyle. Legitimate places won’t hire you under the table. Not with the risk of getting in trouble with the law. I’ve told you. Ryder doesn’t deal in child slavery, Liam. You really should throw in with us.”
“You can’t know that for certain,” Liam countered, glaring and crossing his arms.
Draco felt warm inside as he realized why Liam had turned against the criminal underground. He was taking a stand for Draco and Harry, for what they’d gone through. “Liam.”
Liam looked Draco’s way and his blush darkened. “I just don’t support that kind of stuff. I won’t be part of kids gettin’ hurt.”
“Jess would know by now if he were lying,” Drey said darkly, warning clear in her tone. She was not happy with Liam’s lack of trust. “She’s already helping to manage the cash flow. You can’t hide something that big. Money tells all.”
“Liam doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want,” Draco stated firmly, ending the argument. “Harry and I have access to a lot of money. We’ll work something out. Especially if we’re going to crash with him for a while.”
Liam, mouth open to protest getting financial help from the boys, lit up with excitement and said instead, “You’re staying?”
Draco grinned. “For as long as we can. A week minimum. Maybe longer.”
Harry’s arms snaked around Draco’s leg and gave it a quick hug - joy excitement gratitude.
Jess drew Draco’s gaze. “While you’re here, I’d like to check in with you regarding your relationship with Harry.”
Draco instantly tensed, his hand dropping to rest on Harry’s head, his fingers tangling in the boy’s messy hair. “What about it?”
“I just want to make sure everything’s healthy on both ends,” Jess said evenly, her dark eyes meeting his directly. “You’re about to hit puberty and that will make the relationship shift. I just want to make sure you’re prepared and that you know how to prepare Harry. There’s no need for you guys to figure everything out by yourselves using trial and error when I have information that could help you.”
Draco didn’t commit to this one way or another. He turned his attention to Liam instead. “I want you to teach us how to fight. Guns. Knives. Fists. The works.” His gaze swept the girls, including them as he filled them in. “The magical world is on the edge of a war. We got in a fight with a badass wizard who’s targeting us already. Almost killed us. I managed to slit his throat before he killed me, but it was a close thing.”
Jess’s eyes widened in shock while Drey’s narrowed, clear bloodlust rising in them. Drey was the most violent of the three. She thrilled in spilling blood in a way that even Draco didn’t. In fact, her favored weapon of choice was a vicious short whip.
“Of course we’ll help,” Jess promised while Drey gave a nod.
“You should just stay the fuck out of the magical world and stay with us.” Liam tried to say it calmly, but anger bled through his voice. How dare those fuckers steal his brothers away just to put them in the middle of a war! They were eleven for fuck’s sake!
“It’s complicated. I already told you that,” Draco reminded.
Jess looked curious, but Draco shook his head. He told her, “No. The fewer who know the better.”
She wanted to protest, but the hard look Draco shot her told her it was pointless. She relented. “Very well.” She got to her feet, Drey rising as well. “I’m glad that we found you, and we’d be pleased to help you learn to fight. Can we expect you tomorrow for dinner?”
“We’ll be there. What time?” Liam asked after getting a nod from Draco.
Jess looked to Harry. “We typically eat at five before heading into work. How long will you need to prepare the meal?”
Harry thought about it, already excited about the prospect of cooking for everyone. “I can do a lot of the prep work here and bring it over. Maybe an hour?”
“Very well.” Jess gave him a warm smile. “We’ll see you at four.”
“Four,” Draco echoed in agreement.
Drey flashed Draco a final grin, already anticipating his lessons, and followed Jess to the door. Liam walked them out and locked up behind them. He came back with a tired sigh and sank down onto the couch. Harry got up and sat down next to him, giggling.
“Girls,” Liam told the little boy conspiratorially and draped an arm over Harry’s shoulders. “Am I right or am I right?”
Draco came to sit on Harry’s other side. He put his back to the arm of the couch and tucked his feet under Harry’s thigh. “What’s their boy like?”
Liam chuckled. “Not a boy, that’s for sure. He’s got to be thirty at least. He’s tough, dangerous, and secretive. I’m actually pretty surprised they work together. He doesn’t seem all that submissive to me.” Liam shrugged. “But they clearly love each other, the three of them. It was intense at first. They were like cats measuring each other up. I thought for sure he and Drey would get into it and kill each other, but I guess they got it on instead.”
Draco thought this was interesting. If he had to picture Jess and Drey married to someone, it would have been to someone submissive like Harry. But thinking about it, they were really attached to each other and they were both very dominant, so maybe they didn’t need a lot of submission in a partner. Then again the triad would be really unbalanced if all three partners were doms. That meant this guy had to be submissive, at least in the relationship if not with outsiders, if it were going to work long term.
“What’s his name? No one’s said,” Harry pointed out.
“Kyle,” Liam answered. “He’s pretty dangerous like I said. People don’t use his name lightly. Anything happens to Ryder, Kyle would take over. They’re pretty unstoppable, Kyle and the girls. Honestly, I’m surprised Ryder doesn’t turn against them and try an’ take’em out since they could threaten his power.”
Draco was even more surprised. “Is he safe to be around?”
“Oh yeah.” Liam gave a grin. “Well, for us anyway.” Running his hands over his shoulder-length hair, he then leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. His expression grew more serious. “It’s like this. Kyle had a girl, before we came here. She was killed, with their son, in some dispute. Drive by, I think. The boy was just a few years old from what I understand. Kyle went off the rails. Went up the ranks. Made a name for himself. Then we showed up. Like I said, it was intense at first. From the minute they all met, I wasn’t sure which way it’d go, but it’s clear he'd do anything for them now. They’re a package deal nowadays.” Liam grinned again. “You should see’em. Even when they’re in a club all spread out, it’s like they know where each other are at all times. Like they’re synchronized. Makes you want to believe in fate.” He ruffled Harry’s hair playfully, making the little boy smile happily. “Shit. Findin’ you guys again is like fate, too. You all’re conspiring to make a believer outta me.”
Harry leaned more into Liam’s side while Draco smiled warmly at them both.
xXx
It was childish, but as Remus sat in the small boat that was the only way to reach the island of Azkaban, he clutched his dragon pendant in a tight fist. The cold seemed to deepen the closer they got to the black, towering structure. It looked like it rose straight from the sea. As tall as a Muggle skyscraper, pitch black with sides as smooth and featureless as glass except without the shine. It had only three sides. From above it looked like a perfect triangle with a dark gaping center. Dementors could be seen even this far away flying in and out of the walls, up and down the building, a swarm of evil bees guarding their nest. But it wasn't honey dripping from the walls. Centuries of concentrated human suffering and despair saturated the air and could be felt a mile away.
Azkaban had no human guards. No one could stand being on the island for more than an hour. The Dementors were the jailers. They supplied the prisoners with food and saw to their care. (Whoever could say that with a straight face was sick inside.) Everyone knew, of course, how terrifying this place was, how horrible. With a bitter wave of anger, Remus had only one thought: Everyone knew jack shit. This place was beyond evil, beyond nightmares, beyond words. It struck at the very core of your mind, your soul. And human beings were sent here by the will of the people. Remus shuddered with revulsion. He had never hated his country more than he did in that moment.
“I ask myself that every time I have to see this place.”
Remus looked through bleary eyes and rasped, “What?”
The Auror who had been assigned to escort Remus and make sure the Dementors didn’t try to keep him (just that idea was enough to haunt Remus for the rest of his life) was staring up at the black monolith that was swallowing all life and light. “How can a place such as this exist,” the man said quietly.
The boat came around the nightmare prison and an old dock came into view. The Auror tied the boat off and they made their way down the wooden planks and onto the island itself. Cold seemed to rise up out of the very ground and suck all the heat from their bodies. A small cemetery was set to the side. There were a few headstones, but less than the number of prisoners Remus knew had to have died here. Feeling horribly sick, his brain tried to guess where all the other bodies had gone.
“Might be best to let it out,” the Auror said matter-of-factly.
Remus shot him a confused look.
“Most people puke. Best get it out while we’re out here.”
Remus shook his head.
There were no windows or lights inside the prison, and the lumoses that their wands produced were weak and unstable. Still, it was enough to see a few feet into the cold cells. Remus could make out the floors covered in dirty straw. A faint stench of piss and shit filled the corridors. Remus knew it would have been overpowering had it not been close to freezing. The cold suppressed the worst of the smell.
Most of the cells were empty. A few held desiccated mummies. With a sick, numb horror, Remus figured the Dementors hadn’t gotten around to moving those bodies to the cemetery yet. Then they came upon a cell with a living person inside. A woman sat in the far corner barely alive. Her age indeterminate, she was beyond filthy and stared passed them with a look of deep depression. She didn’t acknowledge their presence. She was utterly broken, the shadow of death already upon her. A Dementor floated through the outside wall just as they were passing. He saw it feed, sucking at the little bit that remained of her. She didn’t even flinch, her body limp and heavy.
The horror was too much and Remus’s consciousness fuzzed until they were standing in front of a cell and he had no idea how far they’d gone or how much time had passed since entering. There was the faint sound of sobbing coming from those caged along the corridor. It was the light, Remus intuited. The light pained them as weak as it was. It reminded them of all they had lost, reminded them how much they were suffering.
Shaking and on the verge of sobs, Remus stared into the cell they had stopped in front of. It appeared empty at first until the hay shifted and a terribly thin dog with filthy, matted fir lifted its head. Remus staggered forward and clutched at the bars. “Sirius…” he practically moaned.
The dog slowly shifted, morphed, a naked human appeared in its place, and Sirius Black with hair falling in tangled, filthy locks stared out at him from a gaunt, pale face. A voice that wasn’t recognizable, scraped raw as it was, said painfully, “Re-mus?”
“Siri…” It was all he could seem to say. A prayer, a plea.
Sirius reached out toward him. He was too far away. Remus slid his arm through the bars of the cell and reached as far as he could. Their fingers just barely touched. As soon as their skin made contact, Sirius shuddered and gave a broken cry. “Re-mus! My… friend…” He crawled forward like a broken thing and pressed up against the bars into Remus’s embrace. He huddled there as they both cried, clutching at the back of Remus’s jacket with hands that had filthy nails several inches long.
“I’m so sorry,” Remus said again and again into his brother’s filthy hair.
“Pettigrew killed them. The rat… Gotta find the rat…” Sirius muttered, almost a chant. “I’m going to find the rat, Remus… I’m going to kill him…”
The intensity of that promise held madness in its depths. Remus opened his mouth to tell him that Pettigrew was already dead, but the Auror tugged him away from Sirius and the cage, shaking his head. “It keeps him focused. Without it, he’d be completely lost in here,” the man whispered in Remus’s ear.
“I’m going to get you out,” Remus vowed, tears streaking his face. He held tightly to Sirius’s hand still wrapped around the bar of the cell. “I’ll get you out, Sirius.”
Sirius suddenly burst into insane laughter. He staggered back from the bars of his cage, howling. It set off the others on the floor and they began to laugh and scream. The Auror grabbed Remus hard by the arm and began to pull him away. Remus broke down into tears as Sirius’s hysteric laugher turned into gut-wrenching sobs.
xXx
Hours later, Remus found himself tucked into an armchair by a blazing fire, a mug of hot chocolate in his hands. A blanket was tucked around his shoulders and the light from the flames glinted off the white gold of the dragon pendant that rest against his chest. He was in the Headmaster’s office. Dumbledore sat next to him, looking just as old and defeated as the last time he had come.
“I don’t understand why that place still stands,” Remus said softly, still cold from the inside out. “You’re Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump. Surely…”
“Azkaban is too accepted by society,” Dumbledore answered gravely. “The only prison in the world to remain unassailable. Not a single escape or breakout.”
Remus lifted a hand from the warm mug to clutch the blanket tighter around him. His voice was dark when he replied, “It should be mandatory that everyone visit once. To know what they are supporting.”
“The sad truth his, people who have been hurt often want those who have caused that pain to suffer greater still. Telling the world how awful that place is has only made it more popular to those crying out for justice.”
Remus felt such terrible pain and rage. Humans were so despicable. “We cannot wait until summer to win Sirius free. We cannot.”
“I am working as fast as I can,” Dumbledore promised. “I have gained enough support to call for a trial to bring Sirius before the Wizengamot. On the fourth of January, in three days hence, he will be moved to the holding cells in the Ministry. Sirius will receive basic care and a mental health assessment. On the sixth, he will stand trial. I will hold Peter’s body in reserve and only reveal it if absolutely necessary.” Dumbledore gave Remus a very pointed look. “We do not want Peter’s murder to be looked into too closely.”
Remus felt sick at the word murder. In the eyes of the world, Draco would be named a criminal. If they ever found out that Peter wasn’t even Draco's first kill… The chill of Azkaban rose over Remus again and he shivered hard. He would do whatever it took to keep Draco away from that horrific place.
“I will speak to Lucius,” Dumbledore continued, stroking his beard and staring thoughtfully into the fire. “If Sirius had the support of the Noble Houses, his chances would be better.”
Remus gave a single nod. He understood the unspoken request. It was his job to speak to Draco about it.
xXx
- January 2nd -
Liam woke to the sound of a polite knock on the door. He was on his feet, gun in hand, almost before the sound of the last knock faded away. Silently padding over to the door, Liam checked the peephole. It was the man with the scarred face. Liam didn’t remember his name. He was so goddamn tempted to ignore the bastard, but he knew the man would just knock again and louder, likely waking the boys - if they weren’t already awake.
Undoing the chain and unlocking the two deadbolts, Liam opened the door. He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, blocking most of the man’s view and making it clear he wasn’t invited in. “Yes?” he asked as neutrally as he could.
“I’m here to see Draco,” the man said softly in a voice as polite as his knock.
“Mmm.” Liam acknowledged the words, but he didn’t move. His dark blue eyes were remote and unimpressed. “Whatcha need?” The man didn’t answer. He stared at Liam quietly and, for an unsettling second, Liam had the sense that he was poking a sleeping bear. “The boys aren’t up yet. We didn’t get ta bed ‘til kinda late,” he finally said into the silence.
The man inclined his head in acknowledgement. “May I wait inside?” he asked quietly, but there was an edge there that Liam simultaneously wanted to test, but also had the sense he shouldn’t.
Liam purposefully waited another long second before finally moving out of the doorway. The man slipped past him and quietly took a seat at the table. Liam secured the door and did his best to ignore him. He started some coffee and prepared some breakfast ingredients, but he didn’t start cooking. It wouldn’t take long to whip up some food and he wanted it fresh and warm when the boys got up.
Liam took a seat on the couch and turned the tv on. For the next hour and a half, they pretended to watch the news, but were really sizing each other up. Draco stepped out of the bedroom a step before Harry. The boys were holding hands. Harry’s hair was adorably mused from sleep, but they were both alert. Good.
“Remus,” Draco greeted.
Remus. That was the man’s name. Liam wouldn’t forget it this time.
“I have information,” Remus said in his apparently normal tone of voice, which meant soft and polite.
Draco nodded. “Harry. Help Liam with breakfast.” He pulled Harry forward past him toward the kitchen.
At Harry’s predictable reply of, “Yes, Draco,” Liam got up and followed him to the kitchen. He would still hear what Draco and this Remus talked about, however. Unless they resorted to whispering or disappeared into the bedroom. He really hoped that didn’t happen. He didn’t want to be shut out. Liam didn’t expect it when Draco climbed up to sit on the table, sitting directly next to and facing Remus, who had kept his seat at the table. They were intimately close and Liam felt the angry sting of jealousy. He glared down at the eggs he was whipping in the bowl in preparation of scrambling them.
“It was bad,” Remus’s soft voice just barely reached him. “Putting Sirius aside, I’ve never been to a place as horrific as that. It’s inhumane in the extreme. Everyone knows it is a terrible place, but no one realizes just how horrific the reality is. Draco, it shouldn’t exist. There are no human guards. It’s run by inhuman dark creatures that feed off of human pain and suffering. They’re called Dementors. Because they render people insane. I don’t care how bad the crime. That place is evil.”
“Sirius?” Liam heard Draco ask carefully.
Remus’s polite facade crumbled. His voice was low and clearly pained. Liam couldn’t make out what he said so he bent to look under the high cupboard through the space over the counter to see. Draco had placed his hand atop Remus’s graying sandy hair. The man’s head was bowed, his shoulders curled in. Shit. Whatever this was, whoever this Sirius was, it was bad news.
“Liam,” Draco called without turning his head.
Liam jerked, a blush staining his face, caught eavesdropping.
Draco looked over at him. “Can I have paper and a pen?”
Liam dried his hands and opened the junk drawer, pulling out a yellow pad and a pen. He left Harry to finish the cooking as took the two items to the blond. He stood, arms crossed, as he watched Draco write a note. He couldn’t read it, but he could see that Draco’s handwriting was beautiful and loopy. For some reason it really hit him that Draco and Harry had been taken in by a wealthy family. It made him feel so disconnected and he shifted his weight uncomfortably.
Draco tore the page from the top of the pad and handed it to Remus. “Take that to Lucius,” he said. “He’ll help you.”
Remus took the paper, giving a little nod. He stood.
Liam backed up to give him room, glad he was finally leaving. He didn’t say a word to the other man as he saw him out, and he made sure to lock the door behind him. Breakfast was ready at that point and he helped Harry carry it to the table. Draco had taken the chair Remus had vacated.
“Everything alright?” Liam asked as he took a seat on the stool he had brought over from the kitchen counter. He gave Harry the other chair. The boy settled into it unwillingly, having lost the argument to sit on the stool.
Draco shrugged. “About as well as I expected. It’s no surprise the magical world is as filthy as the muggle one.” His grey eyes caught Liam’s and were dark with bitter knowledge. “It’d take more than magic to fix the human soul.”
Liam had nothing to say to that. The kid was right. Despite most of the population living in willful ignorance, what some people did to others was beyond horrific. There was a surprising number of pitiful human beings being kept in disgusting conditions. And not many people would go out of their way to stop it.
“Do you still want to go to the girls’ place later?” Liam asked, trying to change the subject.
Harry looked over at Draco in interest, his black bangs falling across his forehead.
Draco gave him a warm smile. “Yeah. We got nothin’ better to do.”
Harry grinned. “Can we go shopping? For dinner ingredients?”
Liam chuckled. “Sure.”
Harry began to eat much quicker in his excitement and Draco and Liam shared a grin.
Chapter end.
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Freedom Bound in Chains